Girls Sport Thriving in Independent Schools

Judging by the popularity of this year’s GSA’s annual Girls Go Gold conference for elite sportswomen, sport is thriving in independent schools. Two events will run simultaneously on Thursday 18 September, one at Bolton School Girls’ Division in the North of the UK and the other at St Catherine’s Bramley in the South; both conferences sold out months ago.Sue Hincks, Headmistress of Bolton School Girls’ Division, said: “We have been staggered by how much interest there has been in this conference from the outset and from right around the UK. We could have easily filled the seats several times over. It really does suggest that sport remains extremely important and popular in independent schools. Everyone here is very excited and we look forward to welcoming girls, speakers and exhibitors.”Bolton School Girls’ Division is expecting two hundred girls from schools from across the UK including Cheltenham Ladies’ College and Roedean. The conference will focus on the many different careers paths that sport can take you down. The keynote speakers are Helen Glover, Olympic and World Champion rower; Jenny Meadows, current European Indoor Champion at 800m; and Tracey Neville, former England international, who will lead a netball workshop. Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson is the southern keynote speaker.The girls attending are aged between 14-17 and have specialisms in a wide range of sports including athletics, hockey, swimming, netball, lacrosse, football, water polo, gymnastics, tennis, rowing, squash, fencing, climbing, badminton, rounders, sailing, cricket, trampolining, synchronised skating, martial arts, archery, golf, horse riding, table tennis and skiing.Other presenters on the day include Victoria Cotton, BBC Sport Producer, who will talk about TV sports production and Sonia Oxley of Reuters will speak on sports journalism; there will be four practical sessions run by University staff on sports and biomechanics testing, sports intervention, sports rehab and physiotherapy and there will be a seminar on podiatry led by Dr Lindsay Hill. A large number of Sports Departments from universities will be in attendance, including Loughborough, Liverpool John Moores, Chester, Bolton, UCLAN, Liverpool Hope and Edge Hill. Courtesy of Sporting Chance USA, girls will also have the opportunity to learn about overseas sports placements as an alternative pathway to develop both academic and sports scholarship opportunities in the USA.